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Thematic Bible

Themes in Luke 16
AUV

Themes in Luke 16

Luke 16:1

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "There was a certain rich man who had a property manager who was reported to be squandering his possessions.

Luke 16:2

So, he called his property manager in and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in a [full] report of [all] your financial transactions, for you are not working for me anymore.'

Luke 16:3

Then the property manager said to himself, What am I going to do since my master is taking away my job? I am not strong enough to dig [i.e., as a farm laborer], and I am too ashamed to beg.

Luke 16:4

I know what I will do, so when I am fired they [i.e., his master's customers] will welcome me into their homes.

Luke 16:5

So, he called on each one of his master's customers and said to the first one, 'How much do you owe my master?'

Luke 16:6

And he replied, 'Eight hundred gallons of [olive] oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your contract and quickly sit down and write in four hundred [gallons].'

Luke 16:7

Then he said to another [customer], 'And how much do you owe [him]?' And he answered, 'One thousand bushels of wheat.' The property manager said to him, 'Take your contract and write eight hundred [bushels].'

Luke 16:8

So, his master commended the dishonest property manager for his shrewdness. For worldly people are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of light [i.e., God's people].

Luke 16:9

Therefore, I tell you, make friends for yourselves by using worldly wealth, so that when it fails [i.e., when you run out of money] they [i.e., the friends you made with its wise and benevolent use] may welcome you into the eternal [i.e., heavenly] dwelling places. [Note: The idea here seems to be that by your shrewd use of material possessions for the benefit of others, you are actually storing up treasures for yourself in heaven].

Luke 16:10

"The person who is trustworthy in regard to very small matters, [such as material possessions] is also [likely to be] trustworthy in regard to large matters, [such as spiritual values], and the person who does not do what is right in very small matters is also not [likely] to do what is right in large ones.

Luke 16:11

If therefore you have not been trustworthy in worldly wealth, who will put you in charge of the true [spiritual] riches?

Luke 16:12

And if you have not been trustworthy with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something of your own?

Luke 16:13

No person can serve two masters, for he will either hate the one and love the other, or else he will cling to the one [i.e., as a close friend] and look down on the other. You cannot serve God and material things [at the same time].'"

Luke 16:14

Then the Pharisees, who loved money, heard these things and sneered at Jesus.

Luke 16:15

And He said to them, "You are people who claim to be just in the eyes of [other] people, but God knows [what is in] your hearts. For that which is held up as most important among people [i.e., fame or fortune ?] is disgusting in the eyes of God.

Luke 16:16

The law of Moses and the prophets prophesied [See Matt. 11:13] until [the time of] John [the Immerser]. From that time onward the good news of the [coming] kingdom of God is [being] preached, and everyone is [attempting to] enter it forcibly [i.e., before its appointed time. See Acts 1:6-7].

Luke 16:17

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away [i.e., to be destroyed. See II Pet. 3:3], than for one portion of a letter of the law of Moses to be dropped.

Luke 16:18

"Every person who divorces his wife and marries another woman becomes sexually unfaithful to her [i.e., because he is still regarded by God as married to his first wife. See Matt. 19:9]. And the person who marries someone who has been divorced by her husband commits sexual sin with her [i.e., because she is still rightfully married to her first husband].

Luke 16:19

"Now there was a certain rich man who was dressed in purple [clothing] and soft linen [garments] and who lived every day in pleasure and luxury.

Luke 16:20

And a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was full of sores, was laid at the rich man's doorway.

Luke 16:21

He longed to be fed with scraps that fell from the rich man's table and even dogs came and licked his sores.

Luke 16:22

And it happened that the beggar died and [his spirit] was carried away by angels to a place close to Abraham. And the rich man also died and [his body] was buried.

Luke 16:23

And in the unseen place of departed spirits the rich man, who was being tormented, looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus close beside him.

Luke 16:24

And he shouted out, 'Forefather Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus [to me], so he can dip the tip of his finger in water [and touch] my tongue to cool it, because I am in agony in these flames.'

Luke 16:25

But Abraham said [to him], 'Son, remember how you enjoyed good things when you were alive [on earth] and how Lazarus had to put up with bad things? But now here [i.e., in the unseen place of departed spirits] he is being comforted and you are in agony.

Luke 16:26

And besides all this, there is a huge chasm situated between us and you so that those who wanted to go from here to there [where you are] cannot do it. And no one can cross over from there to us [over here].'

Luke 16:27

Then the rich man said, 'I beg you therefore, forefather [Abraham], that you would send Lazarus to my father's house,

Luke 16:28

where I have five brothers. Then he could warn them so that they will not [have to] come to this [terrible] place of torment also.'

Luke 16:29

But Abraham said, 'They have [the writings of] Moses and the prophets; let them pay attention to them.'

Luke 16:30

Then the rich man said, 'No, forefather Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, [then] they will repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].'

Luke 16:31

And Abraham replied, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded [even] if someone rises from the dead [i.e., to come back and warn them].'"
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